Getty Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman poses for a portrait during the team's 2021 media day.
The Golden State Warriors have acquitted themselves well during the NBA Finals, giving the Boston Celtics all they could handle and more through five games. However, the Dubs definitely ran into some trouble down low during the C’s wins in Game 1 and Game 3.
Golden State was outscored by an average of 17 points in the paint in those contests. Of course, defending the rim was one of the major points of concern for the club entering postseason play with Kevon Looney manning the middle.
Or, more specifically, with former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman failing to return from the meniscus tear he suffered in 2020-21.
Indeed, Wiseman’s recovery has been a roller-coaster ride for player and team alike. Some fans have even lost confidence in the 21-year-old’s ability to actually return to the hardwood and make good on his massive potential next season.
That said, an insider report on Monday offered a promising update on his current timetable, in addition to revealing new details about what he has done to get back into the game.
Shams: Wiseman Underwent Another Procedure
Per The Athletic‘s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater, the seven-foot, 240-pound Wiseman underwent an orthobiologic injection procedure during an April trip to London with Warriors president Bob Myers.
According to the report, the plasma-rich injection was made in Wiseman’s arm as a therapeutic treatment aiming to increase his body’s healing capabilities. The decision to go down the orthobiolgics road was made after the Warriors made the call to shut Wiseman down after he encountered multiple setbacks this season.
The big man had seemingly been on the verge of making his long-awaited return in March, going so far as to play in two games while on a rehab assignment with the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors. He showed out with the Sea Dubs, too, averaging 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per contest.
Alas, just as the team was set to activate him as a member of the main roster, Wiseman experienced swelling in his knee.
Wiseman hasn’t appeared in a game for Golden State since suffering his meniscus tear on April 10 of 2021. However, Charania and Slater have given a measure of hope regarding Wiseman’s new return window.
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A Summer League Return?
Dub Nation has been forced to endure an inordinate number of near-comebacks from Wiseman at this point. So much so that head coach Steve Kerr found himself cracking wise about making ill-fated “any day now” promises. Nevertheless, there looks to be light at the end of the tunnel once again.
In addition to Wiseman being snapped doing floor work ahead of Finals bouts, The Athletic report has indicated that the center “is nearing clearance for full-contact workouts.” Not only that — there’s optimism he could suit up for the Dubs during summer league.
A final determination on Wiseman’s status will likely come sometime in the next two weeks, per the report.
The Warriors will be hosting the fourth annual California Classic at Chase Center on July 2-3, after which they’ll participate in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas from July 7-17.
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